The Tamil Nadu Milk Producers Association, along with cadres of Communist Party of India (Marxist), staged a demonstration in front of the Madurai Aavin Union on Tuesday seeking higher remuneration prices for milk.
Terming the increase in the procurement price of cow milk by Rs. 2 a litre announced by the State Government as inadequate, association State president K. Mohammed Ali demanded Rs. 4 a litre.
Addressing the agitation, he said cost of cow feed and milch animals had escalated steeply in recent years and the hike of Rs. 2 was grossly insufficient. “We demand that the State Government conduct another round of talks with our association to safeguard the interests of 15 lakh people dependent on the milk sector,” he said.
“The increase in procurement prices need not necessarily be passed on to consumers. Costs of milk can be reduced if administration of Aavin was done efficiently,” he said. Many milk producing societies were on the verge of closure as they had become financially unviable, he said.
CPI (M) rural district secretary V. Sundaram, district secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), B. Vickraman, and Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam's Madurai district secretary K. Devaraj also took part in the protest.
